Idées noires
Encyclopedia
Idées noires is a collection of black comedy
comic strips drawn by André Franquin
, written by Franquin and Yvan Delporte
. The one-page stories first appeared frequently in 1977, in the brief run of the Spirou
supplement, Le Trombone illustré. After this initiative was cancelled, Idées noires resumed publication in the magazine Fluide Glacial
, upon Gotlib's suggestion, where it remained a fixture until 1983. The first album was published in 1981, and a sequel in half-page format was published in 1984.
As the title Idées noires might suggest, these stories explore depressive and horrific fantasies, all drawn with dramatic use of black on white. Suicide, execution, industrial recklessness, ecological disaster and hunting accidents are some of the themes darkly illustrated in this body of work. The series contrasts sharply with Franquin's other comic strips such as Gaston Lagaffe
, Spirou et Fantasio
and the Marsupilami
, although a dark touch occasionally surfaced in other later work such as the Gaston Lagaffe strip for Amnesty International
(published in Cauchemarrants, 1979).
A few pages were translated in Kitchen Sink
's short-lived comics magazine "French Ticklers" under the title "Dark Designs".
Footnotes
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
comic strips drawn by André Franquin
André Franquin
André Franquin was an influential Belgian comics artist, whose best known comic strip creations are Gaston and Marsupilami, created while he worked on the Spirou et Fantasio comic strip from 1947 to 1969, during a period seen by many as the series' golden age.-Franquin's beginnings:Franquin was...
, written by Franquin and Yvan Delporte
Yvan Delporte
Yvan Delporte was a Belgian comics writer, and was editor-in-chief of Spirou magazine between 1955 and 1968 during a period considered by many the golden age of Franco-Belgian comics...
. The one-page stories first appeared frequently in 1977, in the brief run of the Spirou
Spirou (magazine)
Spirou magazine is a weekly Belgian comics magazine published by the Dupuis company...
supplement, Le Trombone illustré. After this initiative was cancelled, Idées noires resumed publication in the magazine Fluide Glacial
Fluide Glacial
Fluide Glacial is a monthly French comics magazine and a publishing house founded on April 1, 1975 by Marcel Gotlib and Jacques Diament. During its years of publication it has featured the work of French and international authors and graphic artists such as Jacques Lob, Édika, Claire Bretécher,...
, upon Gotlib's suggestion, where it remained a fixture until 1983. The first album was published in 1981, and a sequel in half-page format was published in 1984.
As the title Idées noires might suggest, these stories explore depressive and horrific fantasies, all drawn with dramatic use of black on white. Suicide, execution, industrial recklessness, ecological disaster and hunting accidents are some of the themes darkly illustrated in this body of work. The series contrasts sharply with Franquin's other comic strips such as Gaston Lagaffe
Gaston Lagaffe
Gaston is a comic strip created in 1957 by the Belgian cartoonist André Franquin in the comic strip magazine, Spirou. The series focuses on the every-day life of Gaston Lagaffe, a lazy and accident-prone office junior...
, Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio
Spirou et Fantasio is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comic strips. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like Tintin and Asterix...
and the Marsupilami
Marsupilami
Marsupilami is a fictional comic book species created by André Franquin, first published on 31 January 1952 in the magazine Spirou. Since then it appeared regularly in the popular Belgian comic book series Spirou et Fantasio until Franquin stopped working on the series in 1968 and the character...
, although a dark touch occasionally surfaced in other later work such as the Gaston Lagaffe strip for Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
(published in Cauchemarrants, 1979).
A few pages were translated in Kitchen Sink
Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen owned and operated Kitchen Sink Press until 1999. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in...
's short-lived comics magazine "French Ticklers" under the title "Dark Designs".
Publications
- Idées noires (1981)
- Idées noires 2 (1984, half-page (21.8x15cm) publication)
- Idées noires, l'intégrale (2001, complete collection)
Sources
- Idées noires publications in Spirou and Fluide Glacial BDoubliées
- Idées noires album publications Bedetheque
Footnotes
External links
- Idées noires on Franquin.com
- Idées noires site